The event, held at the Rialto Center for the Arts, also recognized BMI's Most-Performed Gospel Song of the Year: "The Gift," written and performed by Donald Lawrence. The song, featured on Lawrence's album Best For Last, topped the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart and achieved wide-spread success. BMI also recognized five additional opuses as Top-Performed Gospel Songs of the Year (2014): "1 On 1," written by Lucius B. Hoskins and performed by Zacardi Cortez; "Clean This House," co-written by Philip Cornish and Isaac Carree, who is the performer; "God Will Make a Way," written by Ay'Ron Lewis and performed by Shirley Caesar; "Here in Our Praise," co-written by Michael Bethany and Fred Hammond, who is the performer; and "It's Working," co-written by Aaron Lindsey and William Murphy, who is the performer.

Musical tributes began with an awe-inspiring nod to The Anointed Pace Sisters, featuring Zie'l ("Safety Zone"), The Walls Group ("Contentment"), The Company ("U-Know"), Dorinda Clark Cole ("Be a Fence") and Lisa Page Brooks and Tasha Page-Lockhart ("When God is in the Building"). The charismatic songs of LaShun Pace were then celebrated with dynamic performances by B. Slade ("I Know I've Been Changed"), Kathy Taylor ("Just Because God Said It") and Rance Allen ("He Keeps Doing Great Things For Me"). Serving as the event's triumphant finale, the exalted songs of Israel Houghton were then celebrated with dynamic performances by Tommy Sims ("Nothing Else Matters"), Fred Hammond ("Friend of God/Again I Say Rejoice"), Kim Burrell ("It's Not Over (When God Is In It"), Micah Stampley ("New Season"), Tasha Cobbs ("Alpha & Omega"), and Jonathan McReynolds ("Moving Forward").

Gospel music authorities Kim Burrell and VaShawn Mitchell hosted the ceremony, along with Mike O'Neill, BMI President and CEO and Catherine Brewton, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta.

BMI's impressive roster of gospel songwriters includes Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, Jessica Reedy, Marvin Sapp, Twinkie Clark, BeBe Winans, Wess Morgan, Kim Burrell and many others.

ABOUT BMI
Celebrating 75 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.(r) (BMI(r)) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in more than 8.5 million musical works created and owned by more than 600,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI's repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit http://www.bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.'s Facebook page.

2015 BMI Trailblazers honoree Israel Houghton at the 16th Annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards, held January 17 in Atlanta. Photo by Arnold Turner




Pictured at the 16th Annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards are BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill, 2015 BMI Trailblazers honoree Israel Houghton, BMI Executive Director, Writer-Publisher Relations Wardell Malloy and BMI Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton. Photo by Arnold Turner




Fred Hammond delivers a rousing performance in tribute to Israel Houghton at the 16th Annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards, held January 17 in Atlanta. Photo by Arnold Turner




Yolanda Adams and Donnie McClurkin perform an astounding tribute to the late Andraé Crouch at the 16th Annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards, held January 17 in Atlanta. Photo by Arnold Turner

For more info on Israel Houghton visit the JFH Artists Database.

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